The after effects of Ohio State's loss to Iowa on Saturday are still being felt around the country despite the game being over for three days.
The Hawkeyes appeared in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time this season and the Buckeyes dropped all the way to 13th, putting them behind their upcoming opponent in Michigan State, who jumped 12 spots to move to No. 12 in the country following a win over Penn State.
With the loss still fresh in the minds of some, Urban Meyer is telling his players to move on from the loss and focus on the Spartans with the Big Ten East division lead up for grabs on Saturday in Columbus.
"I just had the discussion with our staff yesterday. We gave up an incredible amount of rushing yards (against Iowa), but the week before, we shut down Saquon Barkley," Meyer said on the Big Ten coaches teleconference. "It's athletics. You've got to rebound and put that one behind you, but you've got to move forward."
Ohio State wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who has caught a touchdown in the last two games for the Buckeyes, said the team is moving on from the loss, no matter how hard it might be.
"We didn't play our best as a team necessarily. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and see where we can get better," McLaurin said Tuesday evening. "You just have to focus on yourself.
"You never get used to losing and that feeling you get when you reflect on all the work you put in during the season and the offseason," he added. "When things don't work out the way you hoped, it's tough. But we still have things to look forward to. As a grown man, you've got to buckle up and get ready for the next test."
The next test comes in the form of Mark Dantonio's Spartans, a team that has not lost in Columbus since 2007, winning games over the Buckeyes in both 2011 and 2015.
Ohio State's recent battles with Michigan State have all been played within a tight window, with the Buckeyes squeaking by with a 17-16 win over the Spartans, despite MSU's 3-7 record at the time.
Chris Worley, whose interception on a two-point conversion salted the 2016 matchup away for Ohio State, said Tuesday that the Buckeyes have been able to use what they learned from the loss to Iowa and apply it to the game prep for Michigan State.
"Sunday, we got back in the lab and saw the mistakes," Worley said. "The good thing is, Michigan State does a little bit of the same things that Iowa did so we can put (what we learned) to the test this week."
Much like Iowa, Michigan State is hitting its stride in the passing game. Spartan quarterback Brian Lewerke has thrown for 400 or more yards in each of his last two games. He is also distributing the wealth around, as three different Spartan receivers have at least 25 receptions this season.
Meyer has taken notice of Lewerke, who did not play against the Buckeyes last season after suffering a season-ending injury earlier in 2016.
"Their quarterback is really starting to play well," Meyer said. "(Michigan State) has got some momentum right now."
